The Scoop On The Senate

She has made cameo appearances as herself in several television shows, including Murphy Brown, Gilmore Girls and Curb Your Enthusiasm,as well as a cameo (as herself) in the 2000 film Traffic.

Bill Nelson (D) – Senior Senator from Florida

In 1986, he became the second sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space, as a Payload Specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. (Credit: Chris Usher)

Blanche Lincoln (D) – Senior senator from Arkansas

She was elected to office under two names. First to the U.S. House of Representatives as Blanche Lambert, and then after her marriage, to the Senate as Blanche Lincoln. When she got elected to the the Senate she was the youngest woman to do so – at 38.

Chris Dodd (D) – Senior Senator from Connecticut

Sen. Dodd and former President Bill Clinton are long-time golfing buddies. Clinton even tried to convince Dodd to run for president in 2000. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Dan Daniel Akaka (D) – Junior Senator from Hawaii

He is the first native Hawaiian in the Senate, and the only current member of the Senate with Chinese ancestry. His middle name is Hawaiian – Kahikina which means “the east” or “the arrival.”

Daniel Inouye (D) – Senior Senator from Hawaii

The most member of the Senate. Also holds the position of President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian-American politician in American history. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Dianne Feinstein (D) – Senior Senator from California

The senator is featured in archival footage shown in the Academy Award winning film “Milk”. The 1978 footage shows Feinstein announcing at a press conference that San Francisco mayor George Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated by Dan White. (Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Dianne Feinstein (D) – Senior Senator from California

The senator is featured in archival footage shown in the Academy Award winning film “Milk”. The 1978 footage shows Feinstein announcing at a press conference that San Francisco mayor George Moscone and supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated by Dan White. (Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Dick Durbin (D) – Senior Senator from Illinois

He was the first United States Senator to support the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama.

Jeff Sessions (R) – Junior Senator from Alabama

The Senator was born on Christmas Eve in Selma, Alabama.

Jim Risch (R)- Junior Senator from Idaho

The senator has spent most of his career in public office. He’s run for office 32 times and lost only twice.

Joe Lieberman (D) – Junior Senator from Connecticut

Before he was the first Jewish candidate on a major American political party presidential ticket, Joe walked to the senior prom rather than drive to it on a Saturday, in violation of Sabbath laws.

Jon Kyl – (R) Junior Senator from Arizona

His 2006 re-election campaign ended up being the most expensive in the state’s history, with Kyl raising $15 million dollars and his opponent real-estate developer Jim Pederson pouring his own money in to raise his campaign funds to almost that amount.

John McCain – Senior Senator from Arizona

Four generations of John S. McCains have graduated from the US Naval Academy, most recently the senator’s son John Sidney IV (“Jack”) in 2009.

Johnny Isakson – Junior Senator from Georgia

He attributes his political success to the knowledge he gained in his first career – in real estate – “It’s the art of compromise.”

Lisa Murkowski (R) – Senior Senator from Alaska

The Senator holds two firsts: as the only woman to be elected to Congress from her state, and as the first Senator born in Alaska. She also immediately succeeded her father as senator.

Mark Begich (D) – Junior Senator from Alaska

Begich is the only U.S. Senator without a college degree. Begich has taken continuing education classes at University of Alaska Anchorage without graduating.

Mark Pryor (D) – Junior Senator from Arkansas

In January 2009, he was the youngest senator – for 19 days. He was the oldest senator to hold the title, at 45 years old. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Mark Udall (D) – Senior Senator from Colorado

Senator Udall is an avid mountaineer and has climbed all 54 mountains in Colorado with peaks more than 14,000 feet high.

Michael Bennet (D) – Junior Senator from Colorado

He was born in New Delhi while his father, Douglas J. Bennet, was serving as an aide to Chester Bowles, then the U.S. ambassador to India.

Michael Crapo (R) – Senior Senator from Idaho

Crapo became the first Mormon senator in a state where one-quarter of residents are members of the church of Latter Day Saints.

Richard Shelby (D) – Senior Senator from Alabama

Originally elected to the Senate as a Democrat, Shelby switched to the Republican Party in 1994 when it gained the majority in Congress.

Roland Burris (D) – Junior Senator from Illinois

Burris has built a mausoleum for himself in Oak Woods Cemetery on Chicago’s South Side. His tombstone proclaims, “Trail Blazer,” and includes a list of his accomplishments, with space left for future ones.

Saxby Chambliss (R) – Senior Senator from Georgia

Chambliss and Georgia’s junior senator, Johnny Isakson (R), met at the University of Georgia more than 40 years ago and dated a pair of Phi Mu sorority sisters they later married

Ted Kaufman (D) – Junior Senator from Delaware

Kaufman began a Senate tradition – called the “Senate’s Champion of Civil Service” by the Washington Post, he honors a different federal employee each week on the Senate floor for his or her dedication to public service.

Tom Carper (D) – Senior Senator from Delaware

Sen. Carper (center) commutes everyday from his home in Wilmington, Del. to Capitol Hill.